MILTON, MA – Sept. 1, 2023 – The Mass Cultural Council and Massachusetts Historical Commission have awarded the Forbes House Museum grants totaling $118,000 for restoring its historic barn and carriage house.
The Mass Cultural Council, through its Cultural Facilities Fund (CFF), awarded the museum $68,000 for restoration and repair work to the barn and carriage house buildings on the museum grounds. The Massachusetts CFF is a commonwealth initiative that supports the acquisition, design, repair, rehabilitation, renovation, expansion or construction of nonprofit cultural facilities statewide.
The museum, which is listed in the State Register of Historic Places, received a matching grant of $50,000 from the Massachusetts Preservation Projects Fund (MPPF) through the Massachusetts Historical Commission, Secretary of the Commonwealth, William Francis Galvin, Chairman. Criteria for MPPF matching allocations include level of historical significance of the property, consistency with local preservation and community revitalization plans, and extent of public support and benefit for the project.
Also supporting this project are Community Preservation Act funds, 1772 Foundation/ Preservation MA and many generous individual donors.
“I can’t thank the community enough. To everyone who donated, who voted to support the allocation of CPA funds this year, and who wrote letters of support – thank you! These state grant programs are very competitive, and our ability to demonstrate such commitment from the community was an important factor in our success,” says Heidi Vaughan, Forbes House Museum executive director.
Designed by architect Isaiah Rogers, the carriage house was built in 1833 in the same Greek Revival style as the main house. In the late 19th-century, the renowned Boston architecture firm of Peabody & Stearns designed the shingle-style barn addition.
Currently, the museum uses the barn and carriage house as a backdrop for community events, including seasonal Barnfests, a popular family-friendly evening gathering with live music, local food and lawn games. The next Barnfest, featuring the Franc Graham Band, will be Thursday, September 21.
For more information about the museum and its programming, call 617-696-1815 or visit www.forbeshousemuseum.org. Information about the Mass Cultural Council is available at https://massculturalcouncil.org/. Information about the Massachusetts Historical Commission is available at www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc.
Photo courtesy of Spencer Preservation Group.
About the Forbes House Museum:
Inspired by the Forbes family legacy of entrepreneurship, social action and philanthropy, the Forbes House Museum fosters discourse around civic engagement and cultural awareness. Built in 1833, the Greek Revival home at 215 Adams Street in Milton has been a museum since 1964 and a National Historic Landmark since 1966.
About the Mass Cultural Council:
The Mass Cultural Council advances the Commonwealth’s creative and cultural sector by celebrating traditions and talents, championing its collective needs, and equitably investing public resources.
About the Massachusetts Historical Commission:
The continuing presence of historic properties in Massachusetts immeasurably enhances the quality of our lives; they help to establish our sense of place and to define the very character of our communities. To meet the challenge of preserving this important heritage, the Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) was established by the legislature in 1963 to identify, evaluate, and protect important historical and archaeological assets of the Commonwealth.